


What to Expect

by melxncholly



Series: Expectations [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Not Beta Read, honestly i just really wanted to write dick being a sudden dad, most of the batfam is mentioned until they appear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-18 01:51:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11864157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melxncholly/pseuds/melxncholly
Summary: When Dick comes home from work, sore and exhausted, all he wants to do is collapse on his couch and sleep the rest of the day away.The social worker at his door, claiming the little boy with her is his son throws him in for a loop.





	1. Chapter 1

Dick had been tired when he got home. Sore limbs and a bruised face, courtesy of his ‘night job’ and then two hours of sleep before he had to get up to do his real job. (He dragged himself into BPD’s precinct with about four mugs of coffee, just for him)

 

After all, vigilantism couldn’t pay the bills.

 

But what Dick was looking forward to was ordering cheap take-out, collapsing on his couch, and watching mind numbing television until he passed out, and do it all over again the next night.

 

That was what he was looking forward to. That was his plan.

 

What actually happened ended up throwing his life into a loop.

 

He had barely sat on the couch for a minute before the door to his apartment had started knocking. Which was weird. Sure, Dick had friends. Lots of friends. Friends who usually had super-powers and deemed it unnecessary to do, you know, normal things like knocking on doors. 

 

“Just a second,” he yelled and stood, sore limbs screaming at him in response, and made his way towards the door.

 

He did not expect to come face to face with a social worker, hand held tightly in a young boys, who Dick could have sworn was a carbon copy of him from old photos he had with his parents when he was that small.

 

“Officer Grayson?” the woman had asked, her voice low and warm.

 

“The only and only.” he replied, extending a hand to shake hers.

 

“My name is Monica Peele. We need to talk.”

 

The aforementioned ‘talk’ was about the little boy, who Dick learned was four years old, and who loved to go to the park and his mom.

 

His name was Nico.

 

He was, apparently, Dick’s son.

 

After that Dick’s brain had shorted out. Son? Dick couldn’t have a son. He was only twenty-four. He didn’t have the time to go out, meet girls, end up accidentally getting a girl pregnant.

 

But with all evidence to the contrary, he did, he has.

 

A heavy weight settled into the pit of his stomach, a cold and dreadful feeling, something that shot anxiety up and gripped his heart and lungs.

 

“I don’t understand.” he had ended up saying, rather dumbly, blinking widely at Monica, who sat across from him at his kitchen table. Nico had stayed in the living room, kneeling at the coffee table, crayons and paper in hand.

 

“I know that this is hard to process,” Monica had said, her dark hand reaching over to take his. “But, right now Nico needs someone to take care of him, and I’d rather wish him with his family than go straight to the system.”

 

And Dick, Dick understood. Knew how the system could be cruel, could do more hurt than good and that the weight of whatever it was would crush Nico, and dim the light out of those little blue eyes that sparkled.

 

“I- but- I’m not saying I  _ won’t _ ,” and he wouldn’t. Dick would never leave a child to that cruelty,  _ his child _ , his brain reminded him, if he could help it. If he could see that every little boy and girl who was hurt would go to a good home, he would.

 

But Dick’s life wasn’t conventional. Sure, he wanted kids one day, but this was so soon, so unexpected.

 

For a moment he thought that maybe this is what Bruce had felt when he had first brought Dick home.

 

“Doesn’t he have other family? I just, it’s very. Sudden.” he ended up saying.

 

Monica looked away, her brown eyes falling to the table before pulling a manilla envelope from her bag.

 

“Nico has his grandfather, David Rhodes, who is a very good man, and loves his grandson  _ very _ much. But he just got out of prison a few years ago. As well a family friend of his mother’s, Nova Yatomkovic, but she also has a record, and I know they are good people, but-” And Dick had an idea to where this was going. “David’s killed people before, and although he’s spent ten years in prison, it’s something to be cautious of. Nova was arrested for arson. We don’t want Nico to get hurt.”

 

Dick sighed, head falling into his hands, and sighed again. He could feel his phone buzzing in his pocket, and he realized dumbly that he’d have to call Bruce.

 

“I got. I have a small office.” Dick swallowed thickly. “I can make that into a room for him?” it came out as more of a question than a statement. “It’ll take time though.”

 

Monica sighed. “I don’t expect you to have everything in order Mr. Grayson.” Her hand found his again. “I know this is sudden, and I know you are unprepared. I don’t mean to.. Dump him on you tonight, and I’m sorry that it had to happen this way.” She winced a bit, mentally regretting how some of her previous words may have sounded.

 

“But I have his things in the car, and I’m sure we could get his other furniture here from his grandfather’s apartment in Gotham.”

 

Dick nodded, and stood. Monica left quickly to get to her car, and Dick watched Nico from where he was sitting, crayons and pictures surrounding him.

 

Once all his things were packed into the apartment, Monica kneeled next to Nico a smile and gentle hand on his back.

 

“Nico, I’m gonna have to go now, okay sweetie.”

 

“Am I comin’ too?” he asked, blue eyes blinking up at her.

 

“No honey, you’re gonna stay here with Of- with your daddy, okay? I told you we’d find him, and now he’s gonna take care of you.”

 

Nico looked down at his drawing, blue crayon in hand, before looking up at her.

 

“And what about mommy?”

 

Monica’s face paled at that, and she stroked Nico’s black hair back.

 

“We don’t know yet.” She said.

 

“I miss her.”

 

“I know.”

 

Monica pressed a kissed to his forehead and stood, gathering her things. Dick waited for her at the door, and stood outside in the hall with her to say goodbye.

 

“If you don’t mind me asking,” he paused, looking at the wall before looking back at her. “What happened to his mother.” 

 

Monica frowned, clutching the purse in her hand tightly.

 

“We don’t know. She just… disappeared one day, about two weeks ago.” Monica says. That cold pit in Dick’s stomach returned. "We don't even know if she's alive or not."

 

“And does he…”

 

“Nico… doesn’t know. I’m not sure where he thinks she is, but he believes she’s coming back.”

 

“Fuck.”

 

Monica grimaced, but nodded all the same. She dug through her purse for a moment, before pulling out a card and pressing it into Dick’s hands.

 

“If you ever need something, please, don’t hesitate.”

 

Dick nodded dumbly, and watched her go before stepping back into his apartment.

 

Nico sat there, staring at him with wide eyes.

 

“Hi,” he said.

 

“I’m hungry.” Nico said back.

 

Dick stood there, feeling lost, before kneeling next to Nico and giving him a small grin.

 

“Do you like pepperoni on your pizza?”

 

* * *

 

Nico Michael Rhodes, or Grayson if he wanted, was four years old, has tan skin from playing outside constantly, as well as Dick’s Romani and his mom’s mexican heritage, and freckles starting from from the tips of his ears and ending at his toes. His hair was a messy mop of black, and blue eyes at could only be Dick’s. He was on the smaller side of other four year olds, and most of his clothes were too big, and well worn, with holes and faded images, and unexplained stains.

 

He has a loose front tooth (his first one) and loves dogs and cats and frogs. He still sucks his thumb when he’s scared, or going to bed. He loves to go outside and play in the park, and is always moving. He thinks that the coolest person in the world is his mom, and his grandfather David (pops he calls him) is a quick second. 

 

His mom was named Anie, Dick wants to say, and he had met her at the local coffee house a few times, and a college party right before he turned twenty, when she was nineteen. They had hit it off, got drunk, ended up spending the night together, and left each other with a promise to meet up soon the next morning.

 

Anie had never gotten back to him.

 

He guesses now she never really will.

 

Dick’s staring at her son, his son,  _ their  _ son, eating pepperoni pizza, and watching a cartoon about a yellow sponge and giggling to himself, sitting cross legged in front of the tv, pizza grease staining his shirt. 

 

Dick realizes he can’t really go on patrol tonight. Dick realizes he doesn’t really know what to do. 

 

“I’ll be right back Nico.” Dick says, standing up behind the boy.

 

“Where’re you goin’?” Nico asks, craning his head up to stare at Dick. It’s said with a twinge of panic, and Nico looks like he’s about to cry at the thought of Dick just walking away and leaving him.

 

He’s so small, Dick thinks. So small and innocent and sweet, even though Dick’s only known him for about an  _ hour _ , and something crushes in his chest at the thought that this little boy, his  _ son _ , has only known hardship all his life.

 

He looks at Dick, afraid that he’ll just up and disappear like his mom did.

 

Dick kneels down, a hand on his back. “I’m just gonna call someone real quick.” He says, rubbing the boys back in comfortable circles. “I’ll be in the kitchen, you need me, just shout.”

 

Nico looks at him for a moment, then nods, and his attention goes back to the tv. 

 

Dick moves to the kitchen, pulling his phone out from his back pocket to see texts from Babs, about something silly they were talking about. He goes into his contacts, and he hesitates only for a moment before dialing Bruce.

 

“ _ Hello? _ ” Bruce’s voice is a welcomed reprieve and sets Dick at ease. He’s missed his father, even though he saw him two nights earlier, it feels like forever. 

 

He’s happy that they’re better now. Not fighting. He hopes it stays like this.

 

“Hey, Bruce.” Dick can hear his voice waver, and God, he should be better at this. He’s supposed to be the guy you could depend on, no matter what. He shouldn’t be running to Bruce.

 

“ _ Dick? Is something wrong? _ ” Dick bites his lip. Thinking for a moment.

 

“I. Something happened. And before you freak out- nothing bad, just, I’m a little lost.”

 

Bruce is silent on the other end, and Dick takes a moment to just breathe.

 

“ _ Do you need me to come by? What happened- you don’t sound like yourself.” _

 

“No, no it’s okay. You don’t need to come by. I just.” How does he say it? How does he tell his father ‘yeah, it turned out when we were fighting really badly that one time I was an idiot and fucked up and now I have a four year old that I didn’t know about and now I’m scared and I’m not sure what I should do’

 

“I have a son.” He blurts out, and Dick winces, readying himself for. Something.

 

Bruce is silent on the other side, only breathing, until-

 

“ _ What? _ ”

 

“I have a son Bruce.”

 

Dick’s ready for. Something. Yelling he wants to think. Bruce being quiet is just spiking his anxiety and he doesn’t think he could take a fight with Bruce  _ right _ now, doesn't want to hear how he messed up, not with Nico in the other room, and-

 

“ _ Okay. _ ” Bruce says, and Dick wasn’t expecting that. “ _ Okay. What’s his name. _ ” Bruce’s voice is uncharacteristically soft, and Dick faintly remembers a time when he was very small, and had woken from a nightmare only for Bruce to sit by his bedside and gently hold his hand and speak to him until Dick fell back asleep.

 

“Nico.” Dick says.  _ Not short for nothin’ _ , Nico had rold Dick earlier,  _ Just Nico. _ “He’s four. His mom’s missing, and they only just found out about me. He didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

 

Bruce  _ hmm _ ’s on the other end, and when he speaks he has a plan.

 

“ _ Bring him to the manor tomorrow. We can run some tests just to make sure, let him meet Alfred. We'll figure this out Dick. _ ” Bruce is quiet again, before speaking once more. 

 

“ _ You’re not alone Dick. I’m here to help. _ ”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four year olds are more of a handful than Dick first expected.
> 
> Overall, Nico's first morning at the apartment is a little crazy.

 

The night had went on pretty calmly, Dick thought.

 

At around eight he gently pushed Nico towards the bathroom, toothbrush in hand, and helped him get ready for bed. Nico refused to take a bath, and Dick didn’t think it was that big of a deal, Nico could always take on in the morning.

 

He had dressed Nico in his Superman pajamas, and after a small scare (and a search around the living room) had found Nico’s well worn and loved stuffed toy bear, and tucked Nico into his bed.

 

Nico then had held his hand in a vice grip, making Dick stay behind instead of cleaning up the living room like he planned, and instead made up stories until Nico fell asleep. And well, the bed was so comfortable, and Dick couldn’t help how his eyes just seemed to droop and he fell asleep like that. On top of his covers, still in his uniform, his one hand held in a vice grip by Nico and the other under his head.

 

Dick woke up to his phone buzzing in his pocket, and dug it out to confirm that, yes, it was six am, and he was supposed to get up and get ready for work.

 

But then a grip on his hand reminded him that, _oh_ , he has a child now. A child who doesn’t have anyone to take care of him, he can’t very well take care of himself.

 

He calls his boss, his tired voice explaining the situation, and his boss, bless her, understand completely. She gives him the next few days off, and tells him she’ll look over shifts and such, until Dick gets everything settled.

 

She wishes him the best of luck, then hangs up.

 

He slowly detaches his hand from Nico’s, and the little boy snores slightly before turning over and snuggling deeper into Dick’s bed.

 

He drags himself out of bed, and feels disgusting. Dick stumbles into his bathroom, quickly stripping off his uniform and steps into the hot spray of the shower.

 

It wakes him up, just slightly, and he considers calling Bruce, until deciding against it. He’ll call when he and Nico leave. Gotham is about a forty five minute drive from Bludhaven, longer depending on the traffic. At least it’s not like he’s driving into New York City from Jersey, that would suck. He’s suddenly glad that Bludhaven is NYC’s less popular sister. The traffic shouldn’t be too bad.

 

When he creeps back into his bedroom, Nico is still asleep, and he dresses quickly into a simple t-shirt and jeans. It’s late may, and from the weather report on his phone, it should be getting warmer out through the day.

 

He slowly treks to the kitchen and opens the fridge and… it’s a sad sight. He has a few eggs, milk that expired a week ago, some water bottles and a leftover sandwich from the other night, as well as a few old cartons of chinese food.

 

His cupboards aren’t much better. Some instant coffee mix, a box of cereal, some bread, and that’s it.

 

Dick has lived off of Alfred’s leftover’s, instant ramen, and take-out alright so far, but he doubted that it was something Nico could do.

 

He pulled out his phone, making a reminder to go grocery shopping sometime this week, and decided that yeah, they can stop at a McDonald’s and grab breakfast before the drive to the manor.

 

With that, he walked back into this bedroom to wake Nico up.

 

* * *

 

 

Nico as it turned out, was incredibly hard to wake up. The boy groaned and pushed Dick’s face away, snuggling deeper into the covers.

 

“Hey Nic, you gotta wake up.” Dick said again, gently shaking his shoulders.

 

“No daddy,” Nico says, and Dick feels like his heart stopped, looking down at the little boy. “I’m _comfy_.”

 

Dick’s brain is still short circuiting, the fact that he’s an honest to God _dad_ still making him reel.

 

He has to come back, or he’ll be sitting there all day in both shock and awe that he’s a dad, making the entire day worthless. Shaking himself out of his own head, he thinks, teeth tugging at his bottom lip. He remembers a trick, something his father (not Bruce, his mind supplies) used to do when Dick was a little older than Nico was.

 

_‘Now come on Richard, it’s time to get up.’ he remembers his dad saying._

 

 _‘But I don’t_ wanna. _My bed’s comfy.’ and Dick had snuggled into his comforter, planning to go right back on being dead to the world._

 

 _‘Okay, fine, you can stay in bed.' John said, turning away from him. 'But I_ guess _we’re not going to go to the diner for breakfast this morning… and I was going let you get coffee too but, I suppose if you’re too tired-’_

 

_‘No! No wait I’m up! I want to go!’ Dick shot out of bed, nearly tripping over himself in the process, and his dad laughs, runs a hand through Dick's messy hair and says-_

 

_‘That’s my boy.’_

 

"Okay, fine.” Dick says, standing up, moving away from the bed. Nico peers up at him, the blanket pulled down just enough to show his eyes.

 

“I _was_ planning on taking you out today… maybe stop at McDonald’s for breakfast but I _guess_ I have to call my dad… tell him we can’t come.” Dick shrugs, half heartedly, and glances over at Nico from his shoulder.

 

Nico’s silent, until he shouts, “I’m up!” and jumps out of bed, nearly running into Dick’s legs to hug them.

 

“I wanna get breakfast! An-An’ meet your daddy, daddy!”

 

Dick laughs, bending down to pick Nico up, and wonders for a second why he was even so afraid. He’s been doing well so far. He’s taken care of Damian enough times to be able to take care of his own kid.

 

Everything was going to be fine.

 

* * *

 

Everything was not fine.

 

Taking care of Nico was nothing like taking care of Damian.

 

Dick had taken Nico to the bathroom, planning on giving him a bath, and Nico was having none of that. He threw a tantrum, argued, screamed. He didn’t understand why he had to take _another_ bath. He had taken one Tuesday night. It was Thursday morning.

 

He didn’t agree with Dick that he’d feel better when clean, and instead kicked and screamed and Nico only relented with bribing Nico with the promise of getting to go to the toystore sometime during the day.

 

The water was too hot at first, and then it was too cold, and then it didn’t have enough _bubbles_ and _mommy always gives me bubble baths daddy and this one only has five bubbles and see I counted all by myself aren’t I smart?_

 

Nico did end up enjoying bathtime, in the end, but only when he was splashing and playing in the bubbles, and ended up getting Dick soaked in the process.

 

Dressing him was another matter. Nico was fine, being wrapped in one of Dick’s fluffy towels, but wanted to play tag, and ended up running around screaming and laughing in Dick’s living room, while Dick tried to catch him.

 

Vigilante he was. Small child wrangler he was not.

 

The kid was fast, and wriggly, able to maneuver his way out of Dick’s grasp every time, even going to abandon his towel while he ran around the room nude and screaming, while Dick sat in the middle of it all, his tired eyes reading a text from Babara.

 

**babsy: u have a baby?**

 

**babsy: b asked me 2 look up some bloodwork and files for a little boy**

 

**babsy: he looks just like u**

 

Attached was a picture of Nico, a recent one by the looks of it, smiling wide and happy in frame, his mother’s face next to him. Dick could see a little bit of the article Barbara had cropped it from, and in the corner it was dated for about two weeks ago.

 

**dickie: ill explain later**

 

**dickie: promise**

 

**babsy: k**

 

**babsy: if you need me… you know how to reach me**

 

Nico ended up grabbing his towel back from Dick, and ran back into the bedroom, giggling loudly to himself. Dick smiled and stood, and readied himself for getting Nico changed.

 

Surprisingly, it wasn’t as much of a challenge as Dick thought. Nico argued, of course, and Dick was getting the feeling that the little boy was very opinionated about, well, everything, from why Superman was the coolest (and ouch, that stung a bit) to why the state of the country's government was bad and why it would be so much better to put dogs in charge than some stupid men.

 

But Nico insisted on a short sleeved blue shirt with the nasa logo, and ripped and dirty grey shorts that are too big, with mismatched socks (one long and pink and one short and black with buttleflies) and two different kind of sneakers.

 

“My mommy let's me dress all by myself.” Nico had said, giving Dick a pout when he tried to suggest something else

 

So Dick sat back, and let him dress.

 

* * *

 

 

It was smooth sailing from there, he would have thought. Dick locked the door to the apartment behind him, Nico standing by his side, and they were walking towards the elevator when Nico said they had to go back, he forgot his bear.

 

“Your bear will be there when we get back.” Dick had said.

 

“No! He’s gonna be sad without me! What if we never come back, or-or-or when we come home he’s not there! We have to!” Dick sighed, turned around, Nico’s hand in his, and went to retrieve the bear.

 

They were at the elevator again, Nico holding Dick’s hand tight in his, when he realized he had forgotten Nico’s car seat, and back to the apartment they went.

 

With car seat in one hand, and Nico’s in the other, Dick mentally made a checklist of what he had. Keys? Yes. Wallet? Yes. Phone? Yes. Little boy and carseat? Yes and yes.

 

Once at the elevator again, it pinged, and Dick moved to step inside…

 

Only to be stopped by Nico stubbornly refusing to move.

 

“Nico, we have to go.”

 

“Elevators are scary. I wanna go down the stairs.”

 

Dick sighed, tired of arguing, and led them towards the steps.

 

Dick’s apartment wasn’t on the highest floor (thank god) but it was still a walk, and the stairwell was not air conditioned, unlike the rest of the apartment.

 

But Nico seemed to be enjoying himself, hopping down the steps behind Dick, humming a song along the way.

 

Everything was fine, they were almost to the parking lot, and then Dick could get some blessed food and caffeine and be on his way to Gotham.

 

Everything was fine, until Nico missed the second to last step and slipped, only to tumble down and scrape his knee against the ground. Tears were immediate, big and fat, slipping down Nico’s cheeks as he cried.

 

Dick was next to him immediately, his hands gentle as he stroked Nico’s hair back.

 

“Shh, shh little bird, shh, it’s okay, come on, let me see.” Dick’s voice was soft, a sweet comfort, and he gently moved Nico’s hands away from his knee to look at the damage.

 

It was a scraped knee, blood slowly coming to the surface, and Dick bit the inside of his cheek. He had gotten scrapes like these enough times as a child, but it still needed to be cleaned. These floors were dirty, and Dick didn’t want the scrape to get any worse.

 

He picked Nico up, and then the car seat, and made his way to the parking garage. He had a first aid kit somewhere in his car, thankfully. It’d hold him over until Alfred got a chance to look at it once they reached the manor.

 

Once he got the door open, Dick sat Nico in the front seat, reaching under the seat to pull out the first aid kit. He used alcohol wipes to clean the scrape, which Nico cried about stinging, and put on antibiotic ointment and a bandaid over it. (the bandaid was superman themed, Dick was getting a little jealous)

 

After the ordeal, Dick pressed a kiss to the bandaid and Nico giggled, giving Dick a hug as thanks.

 

The the carseat went in (not after a few minutes of trouble) Nico got buckled up, and finally, _finally_ , Dick was able to get in the car himself, and leave.

 

It was quiet, the music playing softly, and everything was fine until the drove past a McDonald’s and Nico reminded him of his promise of breakfast.

 

* * *

 

The drive to Gotham was thankfully peaceful. Breakfast was a bit of an issue, Dick having to make a quick (and illegal) U-turn to get back to the fast food joint, and Nico argued with Dick about getting a kids meal, but settled with flapjacks, hashbrowns, and chocolate milk.

 

Dick gets a hash brown for himself, and a coffee. The coffee ends up spilling on him when he goes over a bump, but Dick honestly cannot find himself to care.

 

The entire morning, trying to get ready and to the car took about three hours. Dick didn’t even want to think about doing this everyday.

 

Pulling up to the manor was a welcome sight, and the anxiety that had rooted in Dick’s chest slightly lifted. He was doing okay, he could tell himself. Everything would be fine.

 

“Daddy.” Nico perked up.

 

“Yeah buddy?”

 

“I need to go potty.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, i dont know how cops work, or how work schedules for cops work, and i really dont care
> 
> also, nicos a cutie, i love him, hes the best fucking kid in the world


	3. Chapter 3

Nico doesn’t like new places, Dick discovers. He likes to feel safe, be in familiar surroundings. His mother’s apartment, his grandfather’s, they were all familiar, small, lived in enough to feel homey and welcoming. And despite being a newcomer to Dick’s own well lived apartment, he had someone familiar with him to introduce him, could pretend that this was an apartment like any others, like he was sleeping over his Aunt’s house for the night.

 

Wayne Manor is none of those.

 

They’re half way up the steps before Nico stops, dead on his feet, and refuses to budge.

 

The manor is big, Dick can remember feeling intimidated the first time he walked up these steps, but it soon became his home, someplace safe.

 

“Nico, don’t you need to use the bathroom?” Dick asks, eyebrow raising slightly. Nico pouts, considering it, and then shakes his head, refusing to take another step. 

 

“Little bird?” Dick asks again.

 

“Nuh uh.” Is the eloquent reply from the four year old.

 

Dick kneels down, so that he’s at least eye level with Nico. 

 

“Come on, don’t you wanna go inside? There’s someone who wants to meet you.”

 

Nico stubbornly shakes his head, then sits down, arms crossed over his chest.

 

Thirty minutes later, that’s where Bruce finds them. Dick’s talking softly to Nico, and he’s trying, so hard, but the boy is stubborn as hell, and pouting, cheeks puffed out and red.

 

Dick hears Bruce coming, and looks up to give his adoptive father a tired smile.

 

“Hey Bruce.” He gives him a little wave. “This is Nico.”

 

Bruce gives his oldest son a smile, and steps down to sit next to Nico. 

 

“Hi Nico. My name’s Bruce.” And he extends his hand as if he’s waiting for Nico to shake it, like he’s one of his business partners dressed in a monkey suit. Nico stares at his hand, then back at Bruce, then to Dick.

 

“Daddy, why do you call your daddy by his name?” And just like that, Nico gets up, turns around, and walks up two steps at a time to the door where Alfred’s waiting. 

 

After that, introduction’s go easier. Alfred’s immediately taken by Nico, who marches over and hugs the older man's legs, saying, ‘ _ Hi, my name’s Nico, what’s yours? _ ’

 

Alfred’s own warm smile settled the quelling in his gut, and he watched as the man takes Nico’s small hand in his and leads him inside.

 

“Where’s Dami?” Dick asks when the door shuts behind them.

 

“He stayed overnight with the Kents. Clarks going to drop him off later, Jon didn’t have school today.” Bruce crosses his arms over his chest, smiling slightly as Nico takes in the foyer, eyes bright as Alfred gives him his own little tour.

 

Nico looks back at Dick, his free hand stretched out towards him, a frown on his face.

 

“It’ll be okay Nic, I’m just going to talk with Bruce for a bit.”

 

“But what if I fall and get another boo-boo?” Alfred raises a brow at that, his gaze falling onto Dick.

 

“Alfred will-”

 

“But I want you!” And Nico gives a little stomp, tears filling his eyes and Dick rushes over.

 

“Hey, hey shhh… It’s okay buddy. Okay, I’m sorry, I won’t go okay.” Dick could just feel Bruce’s gaze on his back, and he’s already in trouble because if he’s already wrapped around Nico’s little finger Dick doesn’t know what he’s going to do.

 

“Well I’ll say,” Alfred starts, kneeling down to Nico’s height. “We shall give you the tour, and then I’ll fix up your father’s rather shoddy first aid job.” He gives a little tap to the bandaid, and Nico can’t help it but to giggle. “And then, you can help me with lunch. Is that alright Master Nicolas.”

 

Nico pulls a face. “Jus’ Nico,” he says. “It’s not short for nothin’, it's just Nico.”

 

Alfred nods.

 

“My mistake. Master Nico then. Is that alright?”

 

Nico thinks for a moment, then nods. Shuffling closer to his father. “Okay, that sounds fun.”   
  


 

* * *

 

Nico ends up loving the manor. He runs up and down the halls, and ends up making Bruce race him. After tripping on a shoelace and the threat of tears once more, they decide to end it, and continue on with the tour. 

 

Bruce is silent throughout most of it, giving Nico short answers when he asks questions, and small smiles. Dick knows he’s thinking, comparing Nico and Dick together, despite Dick being a few good years older when he met Bruce.

 

Nico’s take with the study, and yells in delight when he sees his father’s old bedroom. The tour doesn’t take long after that, and Alfred ends up taking Nico away to the bathroom, where he can properly clean his scrape. The little mercy is that they don’t need to take any dna, any blood, for the tests that Dick knows Bruce is going to run. Just to make sure, he knows Bruce will say, just to be safe. 

 

The bloodied bandage has enough DNA on it that Bruce can use, without being terribly invasive. 

 

Alfred ends up whisking Nico away to the kitchen, with the promise to help for lunch. (‘I want mac n’ cheese!’ ‘I think we can very well do that Master Nico,’)

 

Dick and Bruce end up in his study, Dick settled into one of the old leather chairs that are probably older than Bruce at this point, while the man settles behind his desk.

 

“So.” Bruce says.

 

“So.” Dick shrugs.

 

“He’s very… lively.” Bruce ends up saying, mentally going over his words before he speaks.

 

“Yeah I… I sure do have my hands full here.”

 

Bruce’s hands fold together, suddenly serious. “The caves computers are going over the bloodwork right now, but it should be done soon.” 

 

Dick nodded from his seat.

 

“As well,” Bruce started, shifting in his seat slightly. “Arrangements need to be made.”

 

Dick grimaced, not sure what  _ that _ was supposed to mean, and opened his mouth to tell Bruce just as much when he was interrupted. By Bruce no less.

 

“A day care service is something that needs to be looked into. A good one, not to mention we need to get that extra room in your apartment squared away and child ready. Locks too, he looks like he’d get into everything, you don’t want him going through the cabinets.” Bruce picked a tablet up from the desk, eyes narrowing at whatever was on the screen. 

 

“As well, I’m going to take a look into this disappearance of his mother. I asked Oracle to look into it last night. It seems like Ms. Rhodes had a boyfriend, who’s had multiple warrants out for him.” He set the tablet down, staring at Dick.

 

Dick couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him, and Bruce raised a brow at that.

 

“I just,” Dick said, between giggles, “you really think of everything don’t you B?”

 

“Of course I do,” Bruce said, serious. “I’m Batman.”

 

* * *

 

Lunch came a little later than usual. Nico and Alfred came to get them, and Nico stood in the doorway of the study and shouted, “IT’S TIME TO EAT!” before running off again, Alfred behind him.

 

During their time in the study Bruce had given Dick some ‘fatherly’ advice. Things he learned over the years, and so forth and so forth. 

 

Dick also had a sneaking suspicion that Bruce was as wrapped around Nico’s little finger as Dick was now, if the notes about a trust fund being set up on Bruce’s desk said anything. 

 

Nico sat as the dining room, his bear pressed up against his side as he waited impatiently, eyes darting towards the bowl in Alfred’s hand.

 

“Master Bruce, Master Richard, glad to see that you’ll be joining us.” Alfred says when they walk in. Bruce gives Alfred a shrug, sitting down across from Nico.

 

“Sit next to me daddy!” Nico yells, arms reaching out, beckoning Dick towards him. Dick obeys, settling in the seat besides Nico. It's a bit surprising, really, Dick wants to think, how attached Nico is now.

 

He had expected long silences, a quiet little boy continuously crying for his mother. Not how energetic Nico was. Not how easily attached he could be. Sure, Dick expected the separation anxiety, but not so early.

 

“Can I eat now?” Nico asks, blinking up at Alfred, and the butler hums, setting the bowl filled with noodles and cheese in front of him.

 

“Th’nk you!” Nico says around a mouthful of macaroni, smiling bright.

 

“Please, chew before you speak.” Is all Alfred can say, giving Dick a pointed look before he goes off to get Bruce and Dick their own lunch.

 

* * *

 

Nico takes to the gardens of Wayne Manor immediately, running and yelling like this was his own backyard. Dick and Bruce watch from the patio, Alfred leaving drinks for them before going back inside to clean up. 

 

“The social worker told me he has his furniture stored at his grandfather’s house.” Dick says, watching Nico play in the dirt.

 

“I’m sure we can hire a moving truck.” Bruce says, sipping his drink. Dick hums at that, sipping his own drink as they watch Nico play.

 

“He’s a match.” Bruce says finally after a long silence between them. 

 

Dick shrugs, Bruce is stating what he already knew. Even if there was a chance, some way, that Nico wasn’t his, well. Dick would have still kept the boy. Even though it’s been really, a night since he’s met the kid, Dick fell in love. 

 

“I still don’t know what to do.” Dick says. “I’m gonna do my hardest you know, but…”

 

Bruce takes another sip of his drink. “You’re never going to have all the answers Dick.” Bruce says finally. “A parent never knows what to do in the beginning.” 

 

“You’re going to make mistakes, and it’s going to be hard, but I believe in you.”

 

Dick laughs, leaning back in his chair, a smile on his face, and he hears Damian before he sees him. 

 

“Grayson- You did not tell me you were-” Damian stops short. Eyes fall onto Nico, and his expression morphs into one Dick can’t decipher. 

 

“Who is that father?” Damian says, looking at Bruce.

 

“Nice to see you too little D.” Dick mumbles, and calls for Nico to run over. The little boy was already on his way, a bright smile at seeing the newcomer. 

 

“Hi!” he says with an energetic shout, running straight into Dick’s legs. Damian looks from him, then to his father, back to Nico. 

 

“This is Nico.” Bruce says, finally. “Dick’s son.” 

 

That throws Damian in for a loop. An expression of shock briefly passing over his face before he schools it into something else. But the brief hurt is there when he looks at Dick.

 

“Nico,” Dick says, lifting the boy up to sit on his lap. “This is my… little brother Damian.” 

 

“Hi Uncle Dami.” Nico says, his head half hidden in Dick’s shoulder, a smile wide on his face. 

 

Damian says nothing, turns on his heel, and walks away. Nico’s face falls, and looks up at Dick confused. Bruce stands, his chair scraping back against the patio as he does. 

 

“Damian!” 

 

Bruce gives them both a glance, and ruffles Nico’s hair quick before he follows Damian back inside.

 

Dick stands, Nico still in his arms. “Maybe we should start heading home bud.”

 

* * *

 

Damian doesn’t talk to him. Dick actually has no idea where he is in the manor, sulking somewhere is his best bet. He jots down another reminder in his phone to call Damian later. He loved his little brother, had no real intention of keeping this from him but, it happened all so fast. 

 

Alfred has already prepared some meals for Dick to take home, each with its own heating instructions, but Dick knows he’s just going to end up throwing it in the microwave for about two minutes anyways. 

 

He speaks to Bruce one last time before leaving, finishes up plans for getting Nico’s furniture to his apartment. True to Dick’s suspicions, Bruce already has a small trust fund set for Nico’s future.

 

They leave with Nico giving both Alfred and Bruce a hug and kiss goodbye. He calls Bruce ‘Grandpa’ as they’re walking back to the car, and Dick wishes he could have taken a picture of the man's face.

 

The drive back was long, but met with little interruption, and Dick stops at the grocery store before they head back to the apartment. He gets what he needs, plus whatever Nico grabs from the shelves. 

 

Nico makes them walk up the stairs again, and the boy takes it two at a time while dick struggles with both the food Alfred so generously made for them. Screw taking the stairs again, Dick will just keep Nico in the apartment when he goes down to get the rest.

 

For dinner, he heats up leftovers for Nico, and they watch mind numbing cartoons on the couch. Dick ends up having to wrangle the kid into the bath again before bedtime, dirt caked on his hands and knees from playing outside.

 

The night ends on a happy note, Dick tucking him into bed, and then stumbling back into the living room to collapse on the couch. He’s more than welcome to passing out there and then, but he needs to clean and shower, and figure out what he’s doing tomorrow. Nico reminded him of the forgotten promise Dick made earlier, about taking him to the toy store, and that's another can Dick would rather push to the side and avoid.

 

But his eyes slip shut despite his protest, and he falls asleep sitting upright on the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> introducing dami n bruce n alfred
> 
> im honestly unsure of how i wrote dami, but, u kno i dnt rlly care bc this is mostly something for my own enjoyment. but nico, gosh i love him. from my time working w/ kids i figure nicos one of those really friendly little boys whose also v spoiled and loves his parents a lot. attached at the hip sort of thing.
> 
> hes also prolly afraid of new ppl but once he meets them hes incredibly trusting, but his fave ppl who hes not gonna want to b seperated w/ are his parents. his moms already missing so hes got this added anxiety dick will just disappear too.


	4. Chapter 4

The next few days happen in a blur. Dick ends up clearing out his extra room (which really was just spare workout equipment and a desk for his laptop- which he never used in the first place really) 

 

He ends up painting the walls, Nico ‘helping’ of course, and he learns a few new things about his son that the files never mentioned.

 

Like the nightmares, Nico had a lot of those. His mother had, apparently, an on-and-off again boyfriend, who Bruce suspected could be responsible for her disappearance. He scared Nico, the boy had confided in Dick in the middle of the night.

 

“I’m a-a-afraid he’s gonna come an’, an’ take me away.” Nico said, holding onto Dick for what seemed dear life. And all Dick could do was hold him back, promising that he’d never let anyone hurt him.

 

Another thing, was that Nico would put anything into his mouth. Bruce was right about buying locks for his cabinets. Dick could only imagine the little boy crawling in them, and drinking whatever poison cleaner he had. The man had caught him more than once putting small things into his mouth, like they were candy and Nico had almost bit him when Dick tried to get him to spit it out.

 

Separation anxiety. That was also a thing. Dick didn’t know how he was going to deal with dropping Nico off at school, when all the boy wanted to do was cuddle with him. He couldn’t very well take him to work either, since the first thing Nico did when Dick told him he was a cop, was Nico giving him a hard glare, grabbing his teddy, and marching into Dick’s room and locking the door behind him.

 

The kid didn’t like cops. Said they hurt his pops, and his Aunt, and made his mommy cry and he wouldn’t hear about his dad being one too, so Dick dropped it.

 

But despite the bumps, Dick was genuinely happy at having Nico there. Was excited about decorating his room, and getting to see what kind of person he’d grow up into. To see how Nico was going to fit into his family, as dysfunctional and crazy they could be.

 

_ His family _ . That brought another whole new wave of problems. How was he going to explain this. Bruce and Alfred knew, and he was sure everyone else already did someway or another. Damian wasn’t returning his texts or calls. He didn’t even tell his friends yet, and he was more than sure Wally was wondering about his sudden lack of communication.

 

He stepped into his bedroom, eyes falling towards the sleeping form on his bed. Nico was taking a nap, curled up towards the edge, his bear clutched tightly in his arms. Dick grinned, his phone out before he could help himself, and snapped a picture of Nico sleeping. 

 

An idea popped into his head, and Dick grinned to himself, stepping outside of the bedroom and gently pushing the door shut. He pulled up his siblings group chat, fingers hovering over the send button, and shrugged. Best way to announce it right?

 

‘ _ It’s a boy ;)’ _ He sends, and sets his phone down to go and start on the task of cleaning. 

 

* * *

 

When Dick gets back to his phone, it’s three hours later and he feels like he’s scrubbed his apartment to perfection. The spare room-  _ Nico’s room- _ has been scrubbed and the carpet washed. Any strange coffee stains (assumed culprit- Tim when he had slept over that one night and Dick set him up with a blow up mattress), or dust or dirt gone. 

 

The walls were a nice shade of blue, and the wall with the door, white. Tomorrow they’d be going to pick up Nico’s furniture at Nico’s Grandfather’s house, and what a conversation that was going to be.

 

‘ _ Hi Mr. Rhodes! My names Dick Grayson, your missing-and-presumed-dead daughter’s babydaddy! Oh! And I’m a cop too! You’ve been in prison for the last, what was it? Ten years? _ ’

 

Yes, Dick could just see that going  _ great _ . But the room looked nice, empty, ready to be decorated. His living room was also looking nicer now too. Any furniture or garbage cleaned and moved, and he’d have to make sure Alfred saw his hard work.

He collapses in his bed, and careful, not to wake Nico, grabs for his phone and opens it. There’s dozens of missed messages, and calls from all his siblings.

 

He ends up calling the last person to leave him a message, and smiles when he hears Barbara’s voice on the other end.

 

‘ _ You better have a good excuse to ignore my calls Grayson.’ _

 

“Aw, Bab’s you know I’d never ignore you.”

 

‘ _ Really? Then why weren’t you answering then.’ _

 

“I was cleaning.” The other end was silent for a moment, before she spoke again.

 

‘ _ Seriously? _ ’

 

“Seriously.”

 

‘ _ Dick, I’ve seen your apartment. And on it’s “good days” too. It would make Alfred weep. _ ’

 

“Okay,” He said, breathing out a sigh. “Maybe so, but I think I did a good job.”

 

He could practically see Barbara rolling her eyes.

 

‘ _ Anyways, _ ’ Barbara drolled, ‘ _ Nico was it? Bruce gave me the news. _ ’ Dick repressed a snort.

 

“More like you went snooping.”

 

‘ _ Who needs the hows and the whys. The whens is what I’m thinking of. _ ’

 

“The whens?”

 

‘ _ Yes, Dick, when am I going to meet him? Aunt Barbara wants to meet her precious new nephew. _ ’

 

Dick rolled his eyes, his eyes growing heavy as he settled more into his bed.

 

“Well, I should be in Gotham tomorrow… we should get lunch. You, me, Nico… it’ll be fun.”

 

‘ _...Yeah. I think I’d like that. _ ’ A yawn. ‘ _ I’ll call you later Dick. Tim’s calling. _ ’ 

 

“Alright Babs. Night. Love you.”

 

She was quiet on the end of the line, before he heard her soft laugh.

 

‘ _ Love you too Boy Wonder. Night. _ ’

 

He rested his phone on his chest, and smiled to himself, before sleep took him too.

 

* * *

 

They head into Gotham at around ten, their morning routine slightly perfected over the few days spent together. Nico falls asleep in his carseat, his sippy cup ending up on the floor, rolling and hitting the back of Dick’s feet everytime Dick stops. 

 

The plan for the day was to meet Barbara at the Clock Tower, get lunch, and pick up Nico’s furniture from his Grandfather’s house. Barbara offered to come with him, as moral support, and to watch Nico when Dick inevitably finds himself assembling everything by himself when Wally, inevitably, ends up not being able to make it to Dick’s for his ‘surprise’. 

 

Which, is a shame really, because Dick’s a hundred percent certain that Nico and Wally are just going to fall in love with each other.

 

Dick’s certain they’d take to each other like fish to water.

 

* * *

 

Dick gets to the Clock Tower a quarter past ten, and Nico makes a fuss when Dick tells him they have to use the elevator. Nico has to get over his fear sometime, and Dick hopes meeting Barbara will help. 

 

He can’t keep taking the stairs. 

 

The ride up Nico clings to Dick the entire time, eyes squeezed tight, his bears arm clutched tight in his fist. Barbara greets them with a smile, and Nico slowly detaches himself and Dick sets him down. 

 

“Hi Nico,” Barbara says, and extends a hand towards him. “My names Barbara. I’m your daddy's friend.”

 

Nico stares at her, and slowly moves out from behind Dick’s legs, his bear clutched tightly in his grip.

 

“Did you get hurt?” Nico asks, after a minute, and Barbara’s hand falls back into her lap and she gives him a small smile.

 

“A long time ago. But I’m okay now.” And she reaches for him, setting him on her lap. Nico gives her a hug, and stares at Dick, a pout on his lips.

 

“Daddy, we gotta use th’ ella-vator ca-ca-cause Aunt Barba,-”

 

“Barbara.”

 

“Yeah that’s what I said! Aunt Barba gots to use it.” 

 

Barbara laughs, hugging Nico tight and pressing a kiss to his temple. 

 

“It’s okay to be scared Nico, but don’t worry. You can sit on my lap when we go down, is that okay with you?”

 

Nico nods, and if he holds Barbara a little tighter as they go down the Elevator, Dick doesn’t say anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enter barbara! this chapter was intended to be longer but i kind of got tired of staring at it so take it as you will. nicos a curious kid, and sorta blunt so he sort of zones in on her wheelchair, but his mama always taught him to try and be polite. 
> 
> im gonna try and introduce the rest of the batfam in the next couple or so chapters, but i also gotta... research fdhsj its rlly my first time writing anything like this, a multi-chap fic with canon characters so i want to try and get them as like. good as possible? i mean most of my knowledge comes from the games and shows so i gotta read a lot more of the comics to rlly get their characters right

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to fanfiction where the comics dont count and the canon doesnt matter 
> 
> but anyways
> 
> i was in want of the need of kidfic, and like, this is prolly ooc anyways but who cares? i dont. im also extremely new to like... writing dc/batman fic, most of wht i know comes from the wiki, shows, and a few of the comics when i find the time to read them, and also a lot of fic
> 
> so the 'canon' for this fic takes from a bunch of different stuff, including the comics and shows and. movies. honestly its just a mishmash of stuff i like so
> 
> anyways
> 
> dicks a really good guy, but i expect when confronted with like... a surprise like this its gonna throw him in for a loop, esp bc its so sudden and he doesnt really... know what to do or has anything for him? i have like. 14 pages just going on abt this in google docs and it makes me happy so like. i hope other ppl will have fun with it too


End file.
